Celtic ready to resist two-pronged approach from Chelsea on deadline day

By dsguser31 January 2017

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Chelsea they were wasting their time pursuing goalkeeper Craig Gordon only to see the Premier League leaders linked with his top goalscorer.

Reports claim Chelsea are considering making a deadline-day bid of around £30million for Moussa Dembele after failing with an offer for Scotland goalkeeper Gordon.

But Celtic have previously stated that 20-year-old Dembele, who joined them from Fulham for £500,000 six months ago, will not be available in this transfer window.

Rodgers was insistent that Gordon would not be moving on as Chelsea look for another back-up keeper to allow Asmir Begovic to join Bournemouth.

Reports have also claimed Celtic bid about Â£1million for KAS Eupen striker Henry Onyekuru, but Rodgers has stated he does not expect any new faces to follow his early capture of Eboue Kouassi.

Rangers could have finished their business after completing the signing of Port Vale goalkeeper Jak Alnwick in a £250,000 deal, although they continue to be linked with a loan move for West Ham defender Reece Oxford. Matt Gilks is expected to move on.

Hearts took their January signings to nine with a hat-trick of deals on Monday, adding former St Mirren forward Esmael Goncalves to the Greek pair of Tasos Avlonitis and Alexandros Tziolis.

Hamilton also signed a Greek player, former PAOK Salonika right-back Giannis Skondras, who joins left-back Blair Adams in arriving at the SuperSeal Stadium in recent days. Manager Martin Canning is still looking for a forward before tonight's deadline.

Partick Thistle, Motherwell, Dundee - who loaned Nicky Low to Derry City on Monday - and Aberdeen are all in the hunt for more additions with the Lanarkshire club's pursuit of Stephen Pearson possibly going beyond the deadline.

Inverness are still looking for two new players and manager Richie Foran was confident on Monday afternoon, saying he is "sure the supporters will be delighted" with who he eventually brings in.

Kilmarnock could spend some of their £750,000 Souleymane Coulibaly windfall on bringing in attacking reinforcements.

Ross County appear to have done all of their business while St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright confirmed there would be no transfer-deadline action in Perth.

Ladbrokes Championship leaders Hibernian are also looking for reinforcements but look to have failed in their attempts to re-sign Kris Commons from Celtic.